Drugs concealed in Bible delivered to jail, sheriff says

While "Thou shall not conceal drugs in a Bible and try to sneak it into the jail," is not a commandment, it's probably a good rule to live by, as three suspects have recently learned.

According to a news release from Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, three people have been charged conspiracy to furnish prohibited articles for allegedly concealing methamphetamine, marijuana and tobacco in the binding of a bible.

Cynthia "Cindy" Marie Piatt, 28, of Midway, Mikel Blaine Short, 45, of Midway, and Kevin Eugene Burch, were all charged in connection with the alleged conspiracy.

Burch allegedly went to the jail on Aug. 1 and delivered a Bible for Short, who was already in jail awaiting bed space in the state prison system.

Kevin Eugene Burch(Photo: BCSO)

A jail supervisor inspected the Bible. Inside the binding of the book, the supervisor reportedly found vacuum sealed bags containing meth, marijuana and tobacco. While tobacco is not illegal, jail inmates are not allowed to possess it and can be charged with a crime should they be found to have tobacco.

Mikel Blaine Short(Photo: BCSO)

Once the drugs were found, an investigation was initiated. That investigation led authorities to accuse the trio of conspiring to purchase the Bible, conceal the drugs and have Burch deliver them to jail for Short.

After obtaining warrants the arrest of the suspects, investigators went to a Midway home on Baxter County Road 508 where they found and arrested Piatt.

As authorities awaited an individual to come watch Piatt's children, the woman allegedly handed off 25.1 grams of meth to a 17-year-old girl who was at the home when the warrant was served. Piatt faces additional charges for that alleged hand off.

As a result of both incidents, Piatt faces charges of furnishing prohibited articles, two counts of delivery of meth, conspiracy to furnish prohibited articles, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, gross neglect of parental duty resulting in delinquency, unlawful use of a communication device and penalty enhancers of habitual offender, proximity to certain facilities and delivery of a controlled substance to a minor.

At the time of her arrest, Piatt was on probation after pleading guilty to multiple drug-related charges less than two months ago, after authorities conducting a probation home visit on her live-in boyfriend, Short, and finding meth, drug paraphernalia and pills.

Authorities noted in the affidavit it was the third time they'd made a home visit at the residence and arrested at least one person for drug activity. They further noted children were at the residence each time they conducted a home visit and found drugs.

One of the charges Piatt was found guilty of was exposure of a child to methamphetamine. She was placed on 10 years of probation. Her most recent charges place Piatt in jeopardy of having the probation revoked and being sent to prison to serve out her sentence.

Short faces charges of conspiracy to furnish prohibited articles, unlawful use of a communication device and penalty enhancers including proximity to certain facilities and habitual offender.

Burch, who remains at large, faces charges of furnishing prohibited articles, delivery of meth, conspiracy to furnish prohibited articles, unlawful use of a communication device and penalty enhancers including proximity to certain facilities and habitual offender.

Montgomery noted in the news release that Piatt has three prior jail stays in Baxter County and stays in other local area jails. Burch has been detained in the Baxter County jail on 20 occasions since 2004, Montgomery noted, adding Burch also has been booked into other local area jails on "several" occasions.